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100x Getting Others To The Next Level & Two Sides Of Leadership

This week on The Hack Podacst Leon, Paul and Dean talk all about Getting Others To The Next Level & The Two Sides Of Leadership

Getting Others To The Next Level & Two Sides Of Leadership

What’s discussed?

In today's 100 x podcast, Leon, Paul, and Dean emphasise the importance of simplifying leadership opportunities and challenges to add value to one's team. As Sherpas, leaders need to clear the path for their team and guide them. The strategies mentioned in the podcast help assess oneself as a leader and your team in a way that leads to focus and momentum in climbing the mountain together.

Part 1 - Getting Others To The Next Level

Part 2 - Two Sides Of Leadership

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify

Getting Others to the Next Level

Leaders often do work and expect everyone to have the same understanding, willingness, and ability. The concepts of leadership and development could be more abstract, clearer, and easier to define. Remember that your people are a reflection of your leadership. That can be challenging, but it’s significant. We should fight for their highest output; We can not blame others as it reflects on us!

Leadership is not a one-dimensional job; it requires the skills and capabilities to get things done and the ability to make decisions and provide direction. Leadership has two sides: the practical (completing tasks) and the strategic (assessing opportunities).

Two Sides Of Leadership

The guys discuss two sides of leadership: being a leader and a manager. It involves setting direction for your team and taking calculated risks to achieve greater heights. Managers must ensure tasks are completed on time. Simple tools can include;

Training and development plans

Statement of expectation

10-10-10 Meetings

Leadership starts with you; personally track your successes and your relationship with yourself. Reflecting and checking in on yourself is essential for personal growth and professional development. We must understand our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and this helps us better understand how our decisions will affect ourselves and our team, leading to more effective leadership strategies.

There are many ways to do this, one proven tactic starts by carrying out 360 feedback assessments, where you can get insights on yourself from your peers and supervisors. Furthermore, mentors are also excellent sources of advice to help guide us towards the right path by tracking personal KPIs via the following methods:

Leadership Scorecards

Life/Work Scorecards

Family Scorecards

Overall, we must understand both sides of leadership to achieve greater success in our organisation. By being mindful of our actions and considering feedback, we can build a stronger team and climb the mountain together.

Simplification in Leadership

Simplification is essential for any leader who wants to effectively guide their team towards achieving their goals. By simplifying complex tasks and breaking them into smaller, manageable steps, the leader can help ensure the team members understand what is expected of them and how to proceed. This approach can help reduce confusion and improve productivity.

Most importantly, simplifying leadership can help create a culture of trust and collaboration among team members. By having clarity on the objectives and a clear plan for achieving them, team members will be more motivated to work together to reach success.

Clarity & Focus

Achieving the balance between clarity and focus in leadership and development can be challenging, especially when dealing with complex issues or teams. One effective strategy is to start by defining clear objectives and priorities, which helps create a clear focus and guides decision-making towards the most critical objectives.

Additionally, effective communication is crucial for maintaining clarity. Leaders should keep their message simple and concise, actively listen, and address any confusion or questions from others. Another strategy is to break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps, allowing for gradual progress towards larger objectives while keeping the focus clear.

Finally, ongoing reflection and review can ensure consistent alignment with the overall vision and goals. By utilising these strategies, leaders can better balance clarity and focus while navigating the complexity of leadership and development.

Responsibility for Development and Growth

One way a team can be a reflection of a leader's values and style is through the team's performance and behaviour. A high-performing team that works well together and demonstrates shared values often reflects the leader's ability to set clear expectations, provide guidance, and foster a positive work environment.

On the other hand, a poorly-performing team or one that needs more cohesion can reflect a leader's inability to communicate effectively, delegate tasks, or provide necessary resources. To take responsibility for a team's development and growth, a leader can provide continuous feedback and coaching to help team members improve their skills and performance.

Leaders can also offer learning and development opportunities, such as training sessions or mentoring programs to help team members grow in their roles. A leader can foster a culture of continuous improvement by empowering team members to take ownership of their own growth and development.

Positive and Supportive Environment

Creating a positive and supportive environment is essential for facilitating the growth and success of any team. A critical step in achieving this is by prioritising open communication and active listening to understand team members' needs, challenges, and perspectives. Additionally, leaders should aim to foster a culture of empathy where team members feel understood, supported, and valued. In this context, empathy plays a significant role in leadership approaches.

Empathetic leaders can relate to their team members' emotional experiences, making them more receptive to feedback and concerns. By fostering empathy, leaders can create a safe and inclusive environment for their team members to share their thoughts and ideas and make them feel respected. Empathy enables leaders to better understand their team's goals and motivations and provide the necessary support and guidance to facilitate their growth. A positive and supportive work environment ultimately leads to better employee engagement and retention and increases the team's overall performance and creativity.

Delagation & Prioritisation

Delegation and task prioritisation are essential components of effective leadership, and effective delegation can help maximise productivity and efficiency within a team. One approach is to assess each team member's strengths, skills, and workload to allocate tasks effectively and determine their level of autonomy. Leaders should provide clear direction, resources, and support to ensure team members have the tools to complete their tasks effectively. Additionally, prioritisation plays a critical role in achieving goals efficiently.

Leaders should prioritise tasks based on their importance, deadline, and impact on the team's goals. An effective prioritisation strategy is to use the Eisenhower Matrix, which categorises tasks based on urgency and importance and helps to avoid spending time on low-priority tasks. Collaborative decision-making and setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goals can also help increase team engagement and accountability.

Ultimately, an effective delegation and prioritisation approach can maximise productivity, achieve goals, and foster a sense of autonomy and ownership among team members.

Growth & Development

Balancing individual growth and development with the organisation's overall goals can be challenging but is essential for creating a culture of continuous learning and improvement within a team. One strategy is encouraging individuals to set personalised goals that align with the team's overall goals. This strategy helps team members develop skills and knowledge relevant to their roles and the organisation's goals.

Additionally, leaders can offer learning and development opportunities like training programs, skill-building workshops, and coaching, which can help team members gain new perspectives and skills. Another strategy is to foster a culture of feedback and open communication, where individuals receive continuous feedback on their performance, strengths, and areas for improvement.

This transparency helps team members understand how they can contribute to the organisation's goals and empowers them to take ownership of their growth trajectory. Leaders can also recognise and celebrate team members' achievements to encourage a sense of accomplishment and motivation. By prioritising the growth and development of individuals alongside the organisation's goals, leaders can create a culture of continuous learning and improvement, leading to a more engaged and motivated team.

Conclusion

During the podcast, the guys emphasise the importance of leaders taking a simplified approach when leading their teams. By breaking down complex tasks into smaller manageable steps and providing the right kind of support, leaders can help their teams reach new heights of success.

Furthermore, delegating tasks and setting priorities can help increase productivity and efficiency while encouraging individual growth and development helps create an atmosphere of continuous learning and improvement. These strategies can help foster a positive work environment, leading to better employee engagement, retention, and performance.

By embracing the challenge of leadership through empathy, delegation & prioritisation and celebrating successes together, leaders can foster an environment of growth and learning, which is critical to getting others to the next level of that mountain!